Islamabad [Pakistan], April 26 : In a face-saving manoeuvre, Pakistan upped the ante against India after two senior journalists spilt the beans that Islamabad lacked the ammunition and economic strength to fight against India.
DG ISPR Maj General Ahmed Sharif negated the claims about the Pak army's 'operational preparedness'. Maj Gen Sharif also threatened to take the 'battle to India's territory' if the situation arises.
He claimed that Pakistan's Air Force during Operation Swift Retort showed the "resilience of nation and resolve of Air Force."
Forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in the terrorist attack on a convoy of security vehicles in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama on February 14, 2019.
As a response to the Pulwama terror attack, 12 Indian Air Force Mirage-2000 fighter jets struck on Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp in Balakot inside Pakistan in the early hours on February 26 with precision-guided munitions.
The entire operation of launching the airstrikes and coming back to Indian soil safely was codenamed 'Operation Bandar.' The name was given to maintain secrecy and ensure that the plans of the airstrikes don't leak out.
However, DG ISPR Maj General Ahmed Sharif said, "Under the pretext of false flag Pulwama attack, India stage managed a cowardly attack on a fictitious target. The daring, resolute & measured response from Pakistan thwarted Indian nefarious designs."
He further claimed, "Pak AFs are ever ready, not only to defend every inch of motherland, but to take the fight back to the enemy, if ever, aggression is imposed on us. "
Sharif's antics come after Pak journalist Hamid Mir spilt the beans that former Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa admitted that Pakistan lacked ammunition, economic strength to fight India in order to fix the nation's image.
However, Indian Defence experts have termed DG ISPR's statement as a "clear indication of desperation."
General Bajwa admitted that Pakistan "cannot go to war with India", said Hamid Mir. During the conference of commanders meeting, Bajwa confessed that 'Pakistan Army is no match for the Indian Army.'
ISPR DG refuted the journalist's claims as it was widely reported in Indian media.
Mir and Naseem Zehra- during a show on UK-based Pakist media 'UK44' said that Gen Bajwa had in 2021 revealed that he held secret talks with India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and how Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit was planned to Pakistan soon after a ceasefire was announced between the two countries in 2021.
Notably, Pakistan's antics come after Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif is set to skip his India visit and virtually attend the Shanghai Cooperation Orgsation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting.
The SCO defence ministers' two-day gathering will begin on April 27 in India's capital, New Delhi.
Recently, Pakistan announced the participation of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto in the SCO Foreign Ministers' meet which is all set to take place in Goa on May 4-5. Pakistan's foreign minister would be making his first trip to India since 2011.
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